William Dargue  A History of BIRMINGHAM Places & Placenames from A to Y

Radley, Radley Moor, Sutton Coldfield

B74/ WS14 - Grid reference SK097012

Reod Lege: first record 957; Radley-moor: first record 1783

 

This lost placename, which probably means 'reed clearing', is found in the Charter of (Little) Aston and (Great) Barr of 957 AD. That document set out the boundaries of an early medieval estate which had been granted by an Anglo-Saxon king, ?Eadred to his minister, Wulfhelm.

 

A stretch of the estate's eastern boundary is described as andlang Bradan Burnan in thaene Broc aet Reod Lege: 'along the Broad Bourne to the Brook at Radley'. The (Broad) Bourne is a stream east of Aldridge; the Brook at Radley runs northwards to cross Blake Street where there was originally a ford. Radley may have been a small settlement or a farm to the north of the ford, possibly on the present site of Aston Wood Golf course.

Forge Lane: image by Brownhills Bob on Google Maps - click the image to go to that website.
Forge Lane: image by Brownhills Bob on Google Maps - click the image to go to that website.


William Hutton mentions Radley Moor in his 1783 History of Birmingham when describing the route of the Roman road through Sutton Park and beyond: Ikenield-street, proceeds through Sutton park, and the remainder of the Coldfield; over Radley-moor; from thence to Wall, a Roman station.


The course of the Roman road is now represented by a stretch of Forge Lane at the western end of the golf course. Radley Moor, whose second element, moor means bog or marsh, was probably an area of uncultivated land on the site of the present golf course and beyond. There is a Moor Lane at Footherley to the north.

William Dargue 14.03.2009/ 26.07.2015

 

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